1. Field of the Present Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to a method and apparatus for preparing sugarcane stalks for subsequent, and more particularly to such methods and apparatus uniquely adapted to separate the pith, rind, and epidermis components of sugarcane stalk in a relatively efficient manner.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Miller et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,877, discloses a process for treating sugarcane to obtain utilized strips of laterally interconnected fibers of sugarcane rind by removing the pith from one side of the rind and the epidermis material from the other side of the rind without disturbing the rind fibers. The rind fiber strips are subjected to forming pressure and utilized in a desired configuration.
Miller et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,881, discloses a structural building product manufactured from substantially uncrushed and pith-free sugarcane rind fiber bundles, said product formed by applying heat and pressure to the fiber bundles to bond and shape the bundles.
Tilby, U.S. Pat. No. 3,567,510, discloses a method and apparatus for separating the pith, rind, and epidermis components of split sugarcane stalk. Each split stalk portion is flattened and milled on the pith side to separate pith from rind and milled on an opposite side to remove epidermis. While the milling away of pith and epidermis is being effected, the rind is maintained in a flattened condition and is positively engaged by rind, velocity-controlling, gripping means which partially penetrate the ring periphery. The rind milling apparatus is characterized by a milling roll having a plurality of generally radially extending milling ridges. Each milling ridge has a planar milling side parallel to radial plan of the roll and a peripheral, arcuate, rind-contacting which intersects the planar milling side. The separator apparatus is incorporated with component conveying and handling systems to facilitate the modular stacking of separator units. This modulator stacking increases plant capacity and facilitates a secondary separation of residual pith from rind, after the primary rind and pith separation has taken place.
Tilby, U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,459, discloses a method for preparing a mass of randomly oriented, slender cane stalks for subsequent processing at a selected location. The method is intended to deliver the stalks in cleaned condition, chopped into uniform, relatively shorter lengths and aligned longitudinally in their direction of motion.
Miller et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,809, discloses a process for sustaining livestock which involves providing the livestock with a feed comprising sugarcane pith which contains substantially all of its naturally present sugar juice and the fine inner fibers of the sugarcane stalk interior, but which is substantially free from the highly lignified outer rind fibers of the sugarcane. The sugarcane pith may be obtained by longitudinally opening the sugarcane without expressing a significant amount of the sugar juice from the pith, and then separating the pith from the outer rind fibers while retaining substantially all of the sugar juice in the pith.
Tilby, U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,278, discloses an apparatus for fabricating boards from sugarcane rind fibers wherein a board is formed by accumulating a mass of sugarcane rind fibers in a collection zone ahead of a horizontally reciprocable first-stage plunger that has a sweep face. The first-stage plunger is shifted horizontally toward a fiber compression zone to horizontally compact the sugarcane rind fibers and orient the fibers in vertical planes disposed substantially parallel to the sweep face. A second-stage plunger is shifted vertically downwardly from above the compression zone to push the horizontally compacted sugarcane rind fibers downwardly into a generally vertical passage means while vertically compressing the fibers. Consequently, the fibers are oriented in substantially horizontal planes to define a board segment comprised of sugarcane rind fibers having their axes disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the board segment. The steps of accumulating, horizontally shifting, and vertically shifting are repeated to establish a column of abutting board segments in the extrusion passage. The board segments are heated at a heating station to melt natural resinous binder substances of the sugarcane rind fibers. Subsequently, the board segments are cooled at a setting station location below said heating station to re-harden the natural resinous binder substances and bind together the board segments into a unitary board structure.
Villavicencio, U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,136, discloses a bagasse depithing method wherein the pith removal from bagasse fiber is significantly enhanced by the flow of fiber directly from one depithing zone to a second depithing zone without any intermediate settling or pilings of the fiber. The fiber is maintained in a separated condition during the flow from one depithing zone to another depithing zone. The result is a bagasse fiber having a greater quantity of the pith removed with less fiber damage. It is also advantageous to provide a number of conveyors to transport fibrous material to a dual zone depithers and for the removal of depithed fiber and pitch from these depithers. This reduces fiber handling before, during and after depithing.
Cundiff, U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,263, discloses an apparatus and process for separating the pith from the bast of sweet sorghum. Cut and headed stalks of the plant are arranged as a mat of the required width on a conveyor and are forcibly advanced endwise into a rotating flail having a multiplicity of dull beating or striking elements which catch the advancing stalks against a stationary bar. The output of the process is a hail of small discrete particles of wet sugar-laden pith used in the production of fuel alcohol and elongated strings of fiber which had been the organized structural backbone of the plant. The quite differently sized and shaped products are separated by vibrating screens or elutriation in an air stream.
O'Sullivan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,952, discloses a process for the solid phase fractionation of sugarcane into three fractions comprising a fibrous fraction derived from the fibrous sclerenchyma cells from the rind of the cane, a fibrous fraction derived from the fibrous sclerenchyma cells of the fibrovascular bundles of the cane and a non-fibrous fraction derived from the parenchyma cells of the cane. The process comprises the steps of (a) subjecting pieces of the cane to a disintegrating force to cause a physical separation of the fibrous sclerenchyma cells from the non-fibrous parenchyma cells, (b) drying the sugarcane material, and (c) separating the sugarcane into the aforementioned three fractions.
Andrews, U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,645, discloses a flour-type product derived from sugarcane which contains a high dietary fiber concentration. This product is made by separating the pith of the sugar cane from the rind and epidermal layer and then removing from the pith any rind residue from a first stage separation and long fibrovascular bundles embedded in the parenchyma cells of the pith. The clean pith is dried and milled to shred the walls of the parenchyma cells into fiber having a length not exceeding 300 microns.
Tilby, U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,422, discloses sugarcane separation equipment having movable carriages adjacent to the tower-like central unit, such carriages being movable toward and away from such central unit and having dermax removal apparatus thereon. Secondary and tertiary carriages can be included on each side of the central unit to provide additional downstream functions or earlier diversion of the product streams, as desired.
Tilby, U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,316, discloses an apparatus and method for separating milled sugarcane pith from flattened rind upon discharge from a depithing station. The method includes dividing the discharge by a fixed deflector, preferably with a blunt upstream edge, into a primary pith flow and a rind flow which includes a secondary pith flow, and thereafter removing pith from the rind flow and diverting it to join pith from the primary pith flow. Preferred embodiments capture the pith in interstices of a rotating brush which merges with the secondary pith flow, turning such pith away from the rind flow, and then releasing it.
Miller et al, CA 789,214, discloses a process of segregating the rind of sugarcane stalks comprising removing material from the exterior of a stalk of sugarcane to expose the exterior fiber bundles of the rind, and removing from the interior fiber bundles substantially all of the pith of the stalk.
Tilby et al, CA 1,006,410, discloses a method of processing sugarcane stalk material comprising the steps of delivering sugarcane stalk material to a feed zone, resiliently gripping the sugarcane stalk material at the feed zone between a pair of circumferentially grooved resilient feed rolls having a plurality of tines projecting therefrom, rotating the resilient rolls so that the tines impale the stalk material and cause a feeding of the stalk material in response to frictional and tined engagement between the stalk material and the grooved rolls, and separating components of the stalk material.
The related art described above discloses apparatuses and methods for separating pith, rind, and epidermis components of a sugarcane stalk. However, the prior art fails to disclose such an apparatus that is adjustable to accommodate a wide range of stalk thicknesses while maintaining its ability to efficiently separate the sugarcane components. In addition, the prior art fails to disclose such an apparatus that is as compact, yet efficient, as the present invention. The present disclosure distinguishes over the prior art providing heretofore unknown advantages as described in the following summary.